Foldable Rear Seat Divider With Wire Frame and Strap Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automobile seat configurations do not adequately address the need for a portable and collapsible seat divider that can safely partition the rear seat to accommodate small children and their belongings, while minimizing space usage.

Innovation Solution

A foldable seat divider with sidewalls that can be attached to automobile seats or other locations using straps and clips, featuring a flexible wire structure for easy deployment and storage, allowing the divider to be transitioned between folded and unfolded positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a seat divider is made portable and collapsible, then ease of storage and transport is improved, but structural stability and safety may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of storageVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The seat divider employs a collapsible frame structure with movable joints that allows transition between extended (stable) and folded (compact) states. The dynamic design enables the divider to adapt its form factor while maintaining structural integrity through engineered connection points and support mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The divider is constructed from multiple modular segments including sidewalls, crossmembers, and support elements that can be independently positioned and connected. This segmentation allows the structure to collapse into a compact form for storage while reconstructing into a stable configuration when deployed, resolving the contradiction between portability and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the seat divider is made foldable and portable, then ease of transport is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of transportVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The collapsible frame and support structures serve dual functions: providing structural stability when deployed and enabling compact folding for transport. The same structural elements that create stability during use also facilitate the folding mechanism, reducing overall device complexity despite the added functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the seat divider partitions the rear seat effectively, then safety and space management are improved, but space usage in folded state worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidspace usage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The divider's sidewalls and support structures are designed to nest within each other when folded, similar to a telescoping mechanism. The crossmembers and bracing elements collapse into the hollow spaces of the sidewalls, minimizing the volume occupied during storage while maintaining full structural integrity when deployed for safety partitioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20250388158A1Foldable seat divider

Publication Date: 2025.12.25 MCWHIRTER EVAN C

AI summary

A foldable seat divider including one or more sidewalls. One or more of the sidewalls can include a wiring sleeve that can circumscribe the sidewall with a flexible wire inserted into the wiring sleeve. One or more of the sidewalls can include at least one strap. The at least one strap can include an adjustable buckle and/or a clip.